No One Else But Me
by GhstPhantom3
Summary: Things are going well for Naruto. Sakura has finally given in, and has agreed to go out with him. But when Hinata finds out, she is crushed. Can she accept that she was too late?
1. The Heart of the Matter

**No One Else But Me**

Shadow

Chapter 1: The Heart of the Matter (Prologue)

He had been gone for three years, and had been back for six months, but Naruto had not changed a bit.

"Please!" Naruto was on his knees in the mud, clenching his fists tightly together in front of him. Streaks of mud and dirt lined his face, and his jacket was spattered with a few dried bloodstains. His hair was disheveled, pointing in every direction imaginable. Several of the clumps were weighed down by dried hunks of mud. Naruto was an absolute disgrace. At least he had the courtesy to bring her a gift this time.

Sakura looked down at her hands, idly playing with the styrofoam bowl he had given her. She could hear the dehydrated noodles rolling back and forth inside as she turned it over and over in her hands.

"I…I just don't know, Naruto." Sakura dipped her head an inch or two and sighed to herself. _'The least he could have done is gone another block and gotten her flower's from Ino's shop, rather then these damn noodles he seemed to love so much'_

A few passer-bys turned to see who was making a scene. Recognizing Naruto they all just decided to ignore him and carry on with their days. "It's a shame he's back," one of the men grumbled, "It was nice and quiet when _he_ wasn't here." Naruto shot the man a glare, but if he noticed, the man didn't show it.

Naruto snapped his attention back to Sakura, who still seemed to be milling over her decision. The fact that she was actually considering it was a very good sign, every time he had asked her before, she had flat out denied him and walked away.

'_Why am I still considering this? He's asked me out on a date so many times, and it's never the same. I should just punch him in the stomach and walk away like I always do.' _But for some reason she didn't. There was something different about this time, and she couldn't figure out what it was. Sakura looked down at her gift again, _'must be the noodles.'_

"….Well?" Naruto was almost too nervous to break the silence.

Sakura locked eyes with him.

Naruto gulped.

"…..When and where?" _'Damn noodles…'_

Naruto's jaw almost landed in the mud patch where he was kneeling. "Wh…what!" he couldn't believe she had finally agreed, something had to be wrong.

"Naruto, you better answer me before I change my mind." But he was no longer there. He was down the street, running in circles and shouting for joy, disturbing the neighbors and causing a scene.

Sakura glanced once more at the ramen noodles in her hand, and then looked back up at Naruto. _'What the hell do they put in these things?'  
_

_

* * *

_

Hinata watched from around the corner of a nearby brick building. Her eyes expanded slightly, and then half closed, looking defeated. She lowered her head and turned to walk away. This time she had meant to go through with it. This time she would have told him. This time would have been different, but this time had been too late. She closed her eyes and hung her head, as she quietly walked away. A single tear rolled down her right cheek. Her grip loosened and the flower in her hand drifted slowly to the ground. It landed in a puddle, left over from the recent rainstorm. No longer caring she stepped on it, splashing the water everywhere, and leaving the trampled flower behind her.

* * *

Okay, I have done some writing before, but I stopped after a while. Eventually I came here, and now I am thinking about getting started writing again. Please leave me a review, and I would particuraly appreciate it if you made it at least one sentence. it's not too much to ask is it? Reviews, particuraly good ones, are what fuel me to keep writing. If you like the story, let me know. otherwise, I just stop writing. last story i did when I stopped writing was only a few chapters in, so I have no reservations about stopping at any time. If you want more writting, let me know. Thank you all, hope to get to know you all better. 

-Shadow


	2. Betrayed, But Not Forgotten

Hey everyone! it's me again! Hope you like this new chapter! Special thanks to the four of you that reviewed: **Curlybear,** **Juntomatsu,** **Silveraqueen, and EmiRay**

Also, just a note to those of you who are just kind ofpassing by, I have enabled anonymous reviews (at least I think I did) so that should work now if you just want to leve a sentence or two about your thoughts or comments. As with any writer, critique is welcome, and encouraged!**  
**

* * *

**No One Else But Me**

Shadow

Chapter 2: Betrayed, But Not Forgotten

The door slammed shut hard, sending a few small splinters of wood from the doorframe airborne. As the splinters danced on the floor before coming to rest, Hinata jogged over to her bed and threw herself upon it. She immersed her face in the pillow, to try and hide from the guilt and self loathing, but they were inescapable. She found herself trapped, cornered by them now. All the way home she had run from the guilt and she had run from the self loathing, but now there was no where left to run to.

The sound of heavy, sporadic sobs echoed down the hallways. Soon, her sobs gave way to tears, and her tears to all out bawling. Within moments, her pillow was saturated with the moisture of her tears.

A million thoughts raced through her head and none of them gave her any comfort. _'I had so many chances, how could I have wasted them?' 'Why couldn't I have been brave enough before?' 'I'm a failure' 'Naruto's gone…'_

Neji stood poised outside her door, hand raised, knuckles loose, ready to knock and see if she was okay. He already knew that she wasn't from the sound of the loud sobs, but he felt that it was his duty as her cousin, and as the only family member she fully trusted, to try and comfort her.

On the other side of the door, he could hear her pause for a breath, and then she began to wail again. His strength waned, and he lowered his arm. He decided it would be better to give her some time alone first, to sort things out and make sense of whatever it was that happened this time. Plus, he had never been very good at showing sympathy, much less any other emotion. If he tried to make it better, his stone solid emotions might only end up making it much worse overall. Quietly, Neji walked away.

Hinata did not need alone time though, right now what she needed more than anything was to have someone there with her, someone to hold her and tell her that everything would be okay. She had secretly wished that Neji would come in and save the day as he had done for her so many times in the past, but this time he was nowhere to be found. Hinata was truly alone.

* * *

The next morning as dawn broke, Naruto found himself sitting on the roof of his apartment building, with a bowl of ramen in his hand. He had never really taken the time to watch the sunrise before, and was usually too impatient to do so, but with his upcoming date with Sakura, he knew he knew he would need to practice sitting still and behaving. Surprisingly enough, he found that sitting up here watching the sun rise was not as bad as he had imagined it. The pinks reminded him of Sakura's hair, and the streaks of orange reminded him of the old jackets he had worn as a little kid. The way they blended together in the middle seemed to impress him the most. 

Naruto scraped against the bottom of the bowl, searching for any remaining noodles, but found nothing but broth. He quickly drank this and set the now empty bowl off to the side.

Naruto sat quietly for a few seconds longer, before his restless gaze shifted from the sunrise back to his empty bowl. As he began to get up he looked back at the sunrise. _'That's enough for one day'_ he thought, as he carefully scooped up his empty bowl to hurry back inside for seconds.

* * *

Once inside, Naruto scurried over to the cabinet and stated digging for a new bowl of his favorite Ramen. Finding the cupboard to be empty, he immediately dashed to the next one, knocking over a stack of dirty bowls in the process. A dozen of them crashed to the ground, shattering into a thousand pieces. Locked into his present task of finding some noodles to cook, Naruto just ignored them for the time being. His bare feet danced on the cold floor, as he desperately reached into the back of the pantry and pulled out his last remaining package of Ramen Noodles. He made a mental note to pick up some more at the market later. 

He then found the pot he typically used to boil his noodles in. It was dirty, but he was going to be cooking the same thing in it as he had the past six times, so it was of no concern to him.

Now he got to do his favorite part of making Ramen. He impatiently leaned against the table as it scooted slightly. He debated on whether he should get dressed or not, because he was a little chilly with the early morning breeze entering through the window. 'No one is coming by this morning' he thought to himself, 'plus, the breeze is actually kind of refreshing.' Without taking his eyes off the pot of water and noodles, he reached to his left and plucked the carton of milk off the table. He took a small swig of it and immediately sat it down with a look of disgust. It wasn't so much the taste that had bothered him, as it was the fact that he had to chew it. All at once his memories of the early days of Team seven came flooding back to him. "Kuso…" (Dammit) This day was going to be hell and he knew it.

The noodles were just coming to a boil when he heard a soft knock at the door. _'Kuso!'_ He swore to himself again, just when the noodles were ready! Naruto gave a soft sigh and scurried off to answer the door.

Eyes half open, he unbolted the door and swung it wide. Immediately, he was wide awake.

Sakura stood in the doorway, apparently expecting to talk to him or something. Upon regaining his senses, Naruto realized that he was standing silently with a dumb look on his face, and only his boxers on his body.

"Heh…" was all he could manage, while he scratched the back of his neck.

Sakura only stared wide eyed at him.

'_Please God, don't let her notice the mess'_

'_My God, this place is a mess!'_

Sakura could only respond with an awkward, crooked smile. "Heh…" she muttered, as her right eye twitched.

"So, uh, Sakura….What, uh, brings you here?" _'This day can not get any worse than it already is'_ he thought.

"Well, I, uh, that is to say…yesterday you kind of ran off on me without giving me a time or place to meet you for our," she swallowed hard, "date."

"Well, eh heh, I have some important ninja thing in the afternoon, it's very important. Let me just check my calendar, Sakura" He hadn't gotten a new calendar since before he left. Hopefully she wouldn't notice.

'…_I wonder if he knows that his calendar is three years old'_

"Yeah, my important ninja thing is at three today, so how about we meet at five? My very important thing is at Hokage Tower, so how about we meet there, because you know, it's important, the ninja stuff, and so am I…"

Sakura cut him off, "Five is fine, I'll meet you at the Hokage Tower"

"Great! I'll see you at four then!"

"I thought you said five?"

"Is five better? Okay, five it is then" Naruto put a random scribble on a random date on the calendar. What date he put it on didn't matter, because the calendar wasn't set for the right month, let alone year.

Naruto started making his way back to the doorway where Sakura was. _'Well, I handled that pretty smoothly'_ He thought. But that was where everything started to go to hell. He stepped on one of the larger, and apparently sharper pieces of the broken bowls and cut his foot. Having caught him by surprise, he yelped in pain and leapt up in the air, landing gracefully on his other foot, on another broken shard. Again, he jumped up, but this time flailed his arms out, trying to get a hold of the table. When that started to slide away, his other arm stretched out, knocking the pot full of boiling water and noodles all down his bare back. Naruto screamed as the table slid out of his grasp, and he landed with his bare chest on the field of broken pieces of ceramic.

Naruto lay there on the floor for several seconds, moaning, bleeding and dripping, before Sakura was able to regain her composure enough to go help him out. Sure, she felt bad for laughing at him when it happened, but she had to admit, it was the funniest damn thing she had ever seen, especially given the awkwardness of the situation beforehand.

* * *

On the other side of the village, Hinata sat quietly in the garden, staring at the rising sun. She sat surrounded by the various flowers her family had accumulated for their garden over the year. Many of them had taken a beating due to the harsh summer, and were drooping, but none of them seemed to have taken as hard of a hit as the lilacs. 

As she quietly sat among the dead and dying flowers, Hinata watched as the colors in the sky gently shifted colors. Her face was still streaked and stained from the tears she had shed, watching the shades of orange and pink intermingle in the sky, but as time had passed, so had her tears. Now what had once been a shade of light pink in the morning sky had shifted to a rich, bright red. She did not know why, but the blood red sky seemed to soothe her, and as the red began to drip onto the orange, she smiled contently.

'_It won't be that bad…'_ she thought, _'somehow…somehow it will work its way out, and Naruto will be mine. It will work out, it always does…'_ A soft smile crossed Hinata's lips _'Somehow…it will all work out in the end'_

Neji stood at the edge of the garden, watching Hinata silently. She was aware of his presence, he was certain of it. He still did not know how to go about comforting her. He had no experience in the love department, and only minimal experience in the consolation field.

Slowly, silently, he turned his back to her. "Love will find a way," he muttered, just loud enough for Hinata to hear it, "and if not, love will make a way."

* * *

Hey everyone, thanks for stoping by to review and read my work. If I souneded a bit harsh last time, I appologize. Hope this one was long enough for a standard chapter, because it is about the length I typicly go for. Thanks again for reading! 

-Shadow


	3. No Turning Back

Just a quick thanks to Pookey, Silveraqueen, Gforce member45, and Juntomatsu for reviewing my last chapter. Thanks a lot! The only thing I wish to ask of you guys is tht if you like the story, spread the word! It's always good to have more reviews, becausee then I can find out what you all like! Thank You!

-Shadow

* * *

**No One Else But Me**

Shadow

Chapter 3: No Turning Back

Apparently, when she had said yes to the date, Sakura had expected something fancy, or at least something of a decent restaurant. Now that she looked back on it, she had been kidding herself all along.

Sakura stared deep into her bowl as she gently stirred the contents. Naruto had at least chosen one of the better ramen stands in town to go to, then again, it was probably just coincidence, considering this was the one he always went to. Out of the corner of her eye Sakura noticed Naruto staring at her, curiosity and wonder written all over his face. It didn't matter how long he had been away, it seemed he would always have that way of childhood innocence about him. Quietly she lifted some of the noodles to her mouth and swallowed them whole, grimacing a bit as the mass slid down her throat. She regretted forgetting to chew.

"Sakura…" Naruto's voice almost startled her when he spoke.

Slowly she lifted her head to stare directly into his soft, blue eyes. "Hmmm?"

"Well, uh…you haven't exactly said anything all night and I was wondering if everything was okay."

Sakura stared back down into the murky depths of her bowl. _'No'_ she wanted to say, _'No, it's not all okay. I'm not the one who should be sitting here beside you.'_ She glanced back up at him, and at that innocent, nurturing smile of his. She knew how much this time with her meant to him, she didn't want to ruin it for him. _'But on the other hand'_ she thought, turning back to her bowl, '_When I saw Hinata recently…the sorrow and disappointment in her eyes, she just seems so cold now…'_

"Sakura?"

She instantly snapped out of her daze, raising her head and staring straight ahead, realizing how long it had been since he had asked her if she was okay. Naruto may be an idiot, but he wasn't so dumb so as not to notice her lying.

"No, Naruto, It's not," She began, "I'm not the one that should be sitting here."

Naruto tilted his head on a sixty degree angle, puzzlement plastered on his face. "What?" he asked, "Who do you mean?"

"I mean that I just did this to make you happy, there's someone else who cares far more for you, than I ever could. She is the one who deserves to be sitting here."

Naruto's confusion only deepened, "The only other girl that cares for me is Baa-chan. (Old hag, Tsunade) Why would I ask her out? She's old!"

Apparently it didn't matter if he had spent three years away, Sakura noted, Naruto still seems to have the mental capacity of a five year-old. "I mean Hinata, Naruto. She's had a crush on you since she first saw you."

Naruto was stunned, and recoiled a little in his seat, "H-Hinata? Why would she…she's a member of a noble clan! She wouldn't have any interest in me!"

_'Is Naruto harboring some feelings for Hinata somewhere deep inside?' _She thought, "Believe what you will Naruto, but Hinata has had a crush on you since the academy, maybe even before then."

Naruto's cheeks turned a rosy pink. "B-but…then, why wouldn't she say anything? I mean, maybe she's just weird…"

Sakura's lips curled slightly upward in a content smile, _'It would appear so…'_

Naruto slid as far back on his stool as he could. Sakura was smiling at him. Usually something of this scenario would not end without substantial pain.

"Ask her out sometime, Naruto. You'll be surprised at her reaction…just be ready to catch her if she faints." With that Sakura turned back to her noodles and started to eat again.

Needless to say she was startled when Naruto threw his arms around her in a tight hug. Later on her way home, Sakura would remember the moment and swear to herself that she felt her eyes bulge out.

"Arigato, Sakura," he whispered. He had no idea why he had thrown his arms around her, nor why he had thanked her, but it seemed important at the moment.

Sakura closed her eyes gently and returned the favor. "Your welcome, Naruto."

* * *

Hinata stood, leaning against the front door. The rain had picked up in the past few minuets, but she didn't mind. The rain droplets did a magnificent job of masking her tears. She had been out here since the rain had begun, over an hour ago, weeping over her sad state. 

She had seen them a few hours earlier that evening, when they were sitting at the ramen stand. They had been talking, and just as she had passed by them, she had seen them hug each other close, but they had not noticed her. No one seemed to notice her anymore, not even Neji. She felt so alone in the world.

Oh, how she despised her pitiable state. _'I should have been the one in Naruto's arms,'_ she told herself, _'Why? Why didn't I ask him sooner?'_ She had no escape from the self torment, it plagued her every thought, haunted her every nightmare.

Slowly, she drew a kunai from the pouch by her hip. Her gaze was fixated on it for several seconds before she slid the blade along her thumb. She felt no pain as her knife opened a wound in her flesh, and she began to bleed. As the blood trickled down her hand and dripped to the ground, she held the kunai to her chest and looked up. The rain had stopped and the clouds were now parting to reveal the very last remnants of a beautiful, blood red sunset. For the first time in what felt like years, Hinata smiled.

_'Tonight,'_ she told herself, _'Tonight I will end my suffering. Tonight I will finally be at peace.'_

Silently she put the kunai back in her pouch, still lightly stained with blood. The door creaked as she opened it and stepped inside, leaving only a bloody thumbprint behind.

* * *

When Naruto awoke the next morning, the streets were a bustle. They always were, but today seemed odd, as if something had happened. 

Quickly, he threw on his clothes and ran down the stairs into the market square.

Naruto spent the next several minuets trying to gather what had happened, but no one would give him a complete answer. He knew something was wrong, but he didn't know what.

Suddenly, he saw Shikamaru run past him, and hastened himself to catch up.

"Hey, Shikamaru! Wait up!"

Shikamaru glanced over his shoulder, spotting Naruto he sighed. He did not want to be the one to break it to him. This was going to be so troublesome. Why did he have to be the one to tell Naruto about the death?

Shikamaru ground his heels into the dirt, slowing himself enough for Naruto to catch up.

"Will you tell me what the hell is going on here?" Naruto demanded of him, "What the hell happened?"

Shikamaru hung his head, "Sakura is dead, Naruto…she's been murdered."

* * *

Sure, I may not do cliff hangers all that often...but I can certaintly do them! -evil laugh- have fun waiting, kiddies! (Just kidding, I know the pain of a cliff hanger can be tormentuous, so I will try to have chapter four done soon, though I can't promise much.) 


	4. Second Chance

Thanks to Gforce Member45, Thunder Sister, Kenneth Spicer, TMW, and Play-A-Lot for reviewing! I would have had this chapter up yesterday, but for some reason the site was having trouble uploading documents. Chapter 5 has already been started. As always, please review! I greatly appreciate it!

-Shadow

oh, and just to cover my ass: I don't own anything but the storyline I create.

* * *

**No One Else But Me**

Shadow

**Spot the Simpson's reference!**

Chapter 4: Second Chance

Naruto sat quietly on his bed. The shock of the loss had yet to wear off. Sure, they hadn't exactly been close until recently, but they had been through so much together. How had it all come crashing down like this?

After Shikamaru told him what had happened, Naruto did not respond. He went immediately into shock. Thoughts and memories swam through his head as he wandered off. _'But Sakura is too strong to die…'_, _'How could someone have just killed her? It doesn't make sense!'_, _'After I got back…she seemed so strong…how could she die so easily? So suddenly?'_

He heard Shikamaru's voice shouting something as he slowly wandered off, but all of it was noise. Nothing made sense to him, least of all Shikamaru's shouts of protest.

Eventually in his daze he shuffled home and climbed the stairs to his apartment. During the walk he had bumped into countless people, each of which had something to say in response, none of which he heard. He felt as though his head were floating, engulfed in a soft mist. Everything was clear, but yet it was all foggy. He could remember it all, but none of it would come to mind when he tried. Instead, every time he tried, the same two words floated to the foreground of his consciousness, 'She's dead…'

And so here he was now, sitting on his bed, staring out the window at nothing specific. As if it had never even been there, the haze lifted from his eyes and he withdrew from his state of shock. His eyes darted around the room, trying to comprehend what had happened and where he was.

The words floated to his lips, "She's…dead…gone," he whispered, slowly, "I'll…never see her…again…Sakura is dead." He continued to mutter those words under his breath, trying to convince himself of the impossible.

Slowly he shuffled himself over to the cabinet to try and find the last of his ramen noodles. In his haste this morning to discover what had happened, he had skipped breakfast. Much to his dismay, he was out of Ramen. He would have to go get some at the store later. He could still feel the slight grip of shock around him as he shuffled back to his bed to sit down again.

"Who would do this? Who would kill her? Why?" he whispered to no one in particular, as a solitary, glimmering tear rolled down his left cheek. The realization finally hit him full force like a freight train. Amongst sniffles and sobs, he bent over and wailed for the good portion of an hour. He had not felt this alone since he had been a child, only then he had the blessing of being at least partially jaded to it. Now, it cut him like a knife, deep and jagged.

* * *

Eventually, the tears stopped and he decided it was time that he had to get started on the things he knew he would have to do.

During the course of his morning, as he cleaned up, changed and prepared for the day, Shikamaru's words haunted his conscious thoughts. _'She's been murdered'_.

He could not bear this alone. For the first time in his life he truly felt that he needed some one to help him, to support him and to comfort him. It was impossible to describe to himself. He felt so alone, and in need of someone, but he should be used to this feeling, as he knew he had plenty of friends who had come to acknowledge and accept him, and long before that he had always been alone. But this was somehow different. It was as if there was a void, an emptiness, a cold spot, somewhere beside him. He felt as though the empty cold around him were sucking him lifeless. He had no idea how to remedy the feeling. He had first noticed it just after he returned home to Konoha, and it had been getting stronger with every day. Today, with Sakura gone, it felt colder then ever.

The fact that he still had not had breakfast yet was not helping matters either. Hunger pains tore him apart inside as his barren stomach roared in protest of its state.

At least this was a problem he knew how to fix.

* * *

Doubled over in pain from his hunger, Naruto did not even have to push the hanging curtain aside to get into his favorite Ramen stand. He took his usual seat at the counter and looked up. There waiting in front of him was a bowl of his favorite flavor ramen. _'The old man knows me well'_ Naruto grinned, and immediately began to swallow as much as he could at a time. To say that he was eating like a pig would have been an insult to pigs everywhere; pigs at least chewed their food before they swallowed. At this point, Naruto was eating more like a duck.

"Hey! Naruto! That wasn't for you!"

Naruto paused in mid swallow as his eyes widened and he nearly gagged on the large quantity of the noodles crowding the back of his throat.

Naruto swallowed his last mouthful "Nani? What's wrong?"

"The bowl was supposed to be for the girl next to you!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly at his embarrassment. "Eh, heh heh heh…sorry" he mumbled

"Don't apologize to me, apologize to her!" He said, pointing to the seat directly next to him.

A quiet, timid voice replied, "I-it's all right…N-Naruto, you were hungry."

'_I recognize that voice!'_ He thought, "Heh, sorry Hina…" He froze. He didn't know why but before he could finish his sentence he completely locked up. He could not move. He could not speak. He could not breathe. All he could do was recall some of Sakura's last words to him, when she had told him just how much Hinata cared for him. _'What's wrong with me?'_ He thought, _'Why can't I say anything?'_

"No, i-it's okay, N-Naruto," She said, "I wasn't hungry anyway." Hinata stood up slowly and turned to leave. When she placed her hand on the counter to help herself up, Naruto caught a glance of the underside of her wrist. It had at least a dozen small scratches, and two or three darker scars, though still small. Immediately, Naruto was freed from his paralysis and regained his composure.

Hinata noticed him staring at the marks on her wrist. She was too much a coward to say anything to Naruto, what had made her think she would be so bold as to leave him behind? Apparently not enough of whatever had driven her to try in the first place. Quickly she covered them with her sleeve and turned to exit. Without a second thought, Naruto turned to go after her. He quickly exited from under the pavilion and started looking in every direction for her, but she had vanished. Hinata was gone.

Naruto knew she couldn't have gone far in only a few seconds. From a crouching position he launched himself up to higher ground to look for her.

A few more seconds passed before he finally spotted her a few hundred yards away, caught up in a high traffic area of the town.

Having spotted her, Naruto quickly jumped down from the roof top and dashed into the crowd. He paid no mind to any of the people that he shoved aside. What he was needed to do was more important than any of their problems.

He had recognized that look on her face, that tone in her voice. There was no denying it. The scars on her wrist were the only proof he needed. Normally, he knew his prediction would be wrong, but he knew the pain of loneliness too well to mistake it when he saw it. He could never forgive himself if he let her go on living in that same tormentuous despair of solitude for one moment longer than he had to.

Nothing mattered more than Hinata right now. He shoved a hapless bystander aside, and then crashed through a fruit vender's cart, stumbling, but never falling.

When he finally broke through the crowd he left a wave of destruction in his wake. Quickly, he glanced around. Hinata was no where to be found. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a glimmer of purple disappear between two buildings. Without a second thought he darted toward the alleyway.

Naruto darted into the alleyway and nearly collided with the wall. His guess had been right. There stood Hinata in the middle of the gap, walking slowly in the other direction.

Naruto dashed forward to try and catch up to her. He reached out and quickly grabbed her by the wrist. Before he could say anything though, she wrenched her wrist free, withdrew a kunai, and spun around so that its point was less than an inch from Naruto's throat.

"H-Hinata…it's only me, it's okay," Naruto choked out.

Realizing her mistake, Hinata gasped and loosened her grip, letting the kunai slip out of her hand and clatter to the ground. "N-Naruto, I…I'm…"

Naruto cut her off, "It's okay Hinata, you didn't know. It's my fault for startling you anyway." The adrenaline wore off and Naruto found himself flustered for words like he did back at the ramen stand. "H-Hinata," he stuttered, "I-I'm sorry" he managed to say.

Hinata had no idea what he was sorry for. He had done nothing wrong, it had been all her, all the time.

"I'm sorry…I…never noticed…before," he continued, "And…I'm sorry you had to go through this…this loneliness. I know how it feels, most of all."

"N-Naruto?" was all Hinata could manage.

He looked up to the clouds, as if lost in thought, "That night she died, Sakura told me the about you."

Hinata's heart sank, she did not know what to expect of him. Somewhere deep inside her, buried beneath the dark abyss that had engulfed her the past few days, a small flame of hope began to burn, but the light was so small, and the darkness so vast. She felt as if she knew better than to get her hopes up when it involved Naruto. 'He probably hates me more now than before…' Hinata frowned and diverted her attention to the nearest puddle on the ground.

"..And…and I should have noticed before. You aren't strange…" Hinata cringed at the word, "You cared for me. You cared before anyone else did, and I couldn't see that.

Hinata looked up from whatever it was that she had diverted her attention to and locked eyes with Naruto. _'Is this…really happening?'_

"…And what I guess I'm trying to say is…you want to get something to eat…or something?" Naruto chuckled nervously. He had screwed that up and stumbled through the whole thing, unsure of anything he had been saying. He hadn't felt this awkward since that day a year and a half ago when Jiraiya tried to send Naruto a prostitute for his birthday. Somehow Naruto had talked her out of doing whatever it had been she was paid to do and they spent the next hour and a half talking about their dreams over a bowl of ramen. Well, Naruto had done most of the talking.

Hinata froze solid. Whatever cruel dream this was, trying to torment her she wanted it to end. She wanted to just make it stop so she could wake up and be back in the world where Naruto did not care for her, and she spent her days in isolation. Try as she might though, she could not wake up. There was nothing to wake up to. _'I…I am awake'_ she told herself.

Naruto's smile faded. He wasn't sure if he had scared her or offended her. Maybe Sakura had been wrong.

Out of no where, Hinata's eye's rolled back into her head and she went limp, passing out. Naruto just barely caught her in time as she descended toward the ground. He took it back; Sakura couldn't have been more accurate.

'_Now what do I do with her?'_


	5. From Darkness, Light

Hey everyone, thanks for waiting. Sorry that took so long, I had it done a few days ago, but then the last section of it for some unknown reason got deleted. Oh well, just had to retype it. Thank you to All of you who reviewed! I'd name you by name, but I'm a little short on time rigtht now and it would be several hours before I get another chance to post it. Thanks to everyone!

-Shadow

* * *

No One Else But Me

Chapter 5: From Darkness, Light

Naruto searched the depths of his bowl for wisdom. Finding none there, he looked over to his left at his traveling partner, still passed out, propped up against the table. No help there either.

After Hinata had passed out, Naruto didn't know what to do with her. She just seemed to lay there in his arms, leaning lifeless against him. Shrugging his shoulders, he decided to do the one thing he could think of, he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder in a fireman's carry. Slowly, he trudged his way back down the crowded street to the ramen shop. He barely had the chance to start breakfast so the ramen stand was the natural place to go.

Naruto had fully anticipated a sideways glance from the old man running the shop when he sat her lifeless form on the stool next to him, or at the very least a questioning gaze when he ordered a bowl for both of them, but he had no such pleasure. The old man just carried on with his business as though he'd seen it all before.

Naruto was halfway through his fourth bowl of noodles when he began getting impatient. He kept glancing over at her, waiting for Hinata to wake up and eat her noodles so they could talk. If she waited much longer, her noodles would be cold.

Quickly and carefully, Naruto prodded Hinata in the shoulder with his chopsticks. Why wasn't she waking up? He poked her a few more times before he noticed that she was beginning to slide away from him.

Panicking, Naruto sprung to his feet and grabbed her just as she slid off the edge of the table. Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as he propped her up again. As if on cue, she began to slide off in the other direction. This time Naruto wasn't fast enough to catch her. Hinata slid off the edge of the counter and struck her head on the neighboring stool. It turned out this was the jolt she needed to wake up, as she began to stir in the dirt at Naruto's feet.

Hinata unthinkingly took his extended hand as she began rubbing the back of her skull with her other hand. "Mother censored!" she muttered.

Naruto was shocked to hear Hinata use such colorful words, but then again he couldn't blame her. If he banged his head on a stool, he would have been swearing too.

"Are you okay, Hinata?" Naruto asked as he helped her up on to the stool.

Hinata's eyes bolted open. She could hear Naruto's voice. She could feel the warmth of Naruto's touch. Slowly, she lifted her eyes, and was met by Naruto's wide idiotic grin.

"Wh-what happened? Where…where am I? N-Naruto?"

Naruto laughed, "You finally woke up! After you passed out I carried you back here so you could get something to eat."

Hinata couldn't decide what to be shyest about, the fact that Naruto had been concerned for her wellbeing, or the fact that Naruto had carried her. Nor could she decide whether to blush or go pale, switching between the two several times before ultimately declaring to hell with it all, and passing out again. This time Naruto was a little better prepared to catch her.

* * *

The next time Hinata came too, She wasn't sure which way was up. Ahead of her was the ground, and above her was a tall, familiar building.

"Does she normally pass out this often?"

"No, only when she's in close contact with you."

"Well that explains a lot…"

"It should…"

'Naruto? Neji? I-I must have blacked out again.' Gradually, Hinata came back to her senses and she realized that she was outside the Hyuuga Clan House, and that Neji and Naruto were discussing her, but why was everything misplaced? Hinata looked down and saw an orange and black jacket. Her hair was dangling in front of her face, as were her arms, and she seemed to have a strange pain in her stomach. Slowly, she realized that the pain in her stomach was Naruto's shoulder, and that she had been thrown over his shoulder, likely carried that way too. Then it dawned on her precisely where her hands were dangling, and just how close to…certain parts…of Naruto they were. She went white with embarrassment, but fought adamantly against the urge to black out again.

Neji was the first to notice that she had awoken. Carefully, he took her from Naruto and helped her to stand up. She was paler then she had been before. Neji understood why, but Naruto, as always, was clueless.

"Hinata, are you okay?"

Images of her hands dangling dangerously close to Naruto's anatomy flooded her head, followed immediately by images of those same hands, inching eagerly closer despite her will for them to keep to themselves.

Hinata, wide-eyed and pale as a ghost, nodded slowly.

"Are you sure? You hit your head pretty hard on that stool."

Spotting the opportunity, Neji seized it. This was for Hinata's own good…"Maybe you should get them to take a look at it at the hospital, Hinata. I'm sure Naruto would be glad to take you there, right Naruto?"

Naruto never was very good at catching hints. In this case, it was only a lucky coincidence they were thinking the same thing. "Yeah, I'll take you there Hinata, and they can check it for you."

* * *

It had only been a short walk to the hospital, but it seemed much longer because Hinata just couldn't seem to balance or focus as they walked. Naruto had insisted that she lean on his shoulder the whole way. Little did he know this had the opposite effect he intended it to, and only made the situation worse.

Hinata was now sitting on one of the beds in the hospital to be examined. Tsunade had been gracious enough to examine Hinata personally. Little did either of them know that when she had heard the news that Hinata needed help, and it was Naruto that had brought her in for care, her lips had curled up in a smug, almost mischievous grin. He had finally seen the light after having it shined in his eyes for years.

Tsunade had deliberately kept them waiting, not so much to give them time alone as to try and suppress her grin. She spent five minuets outside the door to the room before she realized it was a lost cause. She knocked gently on the door and then entered the room. Hinata was sitting on the bed, and Naruto was sitting in the chair next to her. Upon her entrance, their hands darted opposite directions. She did not need to see through the door to know that they had likely been holding hands or something of the sort before she had entered. Blush spread across Hinata's face like wildfire. Naruto started scratching the back of his neck. She needed no more proof. What little of the grin that had left her suddenly reemerged full force, as she averted her eyes and shook her head.

"So what brings you two here?"

Naruto, having no shame or sense of humility, was the first to speak up, "Hinata's seems to be passing out a lot. A little while ago she also hit her head on a stool at the ramen stand. Do you think that could be part of what's causing it?"

Those who saw it would have doubted that Hinata could have gotten any redder than when Tsunade had entered the room. All doubt was erased once Naruto finished speaking, though it was hard to tell, because Hinata's face was buried deep in her hands, hiding from the sunlight like a vampire in some B-grade movie.

Tsunade thought on it a moment, "It's possible, though there's probably some other cause. Embarrassment can also be a cause from time to time."

"But what does she have to be embarrassed about? I would only judge the people who attack her for being weak or for being a girl."

Tsunade had apparently assumed too much. Naruto might know the truth, but how much he expanded upon that truth was probably limited. It was a small miracle that Hinata hadn't passed out again. She moved closer to "examine" Hinata so she could at least look professional as she over dramatized the truth. Chances are she would have to be the one to explain it to Naruto, like a mother would explain the birds and the bees to a retarded five year old.

Carefully she coaxed Hinata into revealing her face. When her hands came away, Tsunade caught a glance of the scar on Hinata's thumb. _'It can't be…It wouldn't be her…but it is…' _"E-excuse me a moment…"

Tsunade got up and walked backwards toward the door, Never taking her eyes off of Hinata's left thumb. Confusion was plastered on Naruto and Hinata's face. Tsunade quietly and slowly knocked on the door three times. The door slid open behind her and two ANBU members stepped in. As they approached her, one of them, Hinata couldn't tell which, began to speak,

"Hyuuga Hinata, you are charged with the murder of Haruno Sakura."


	6. Of Sorrow and Malice

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How's that for a turn around time? Not even twenty four hours! Thank you to all of you who have reviewed this story in the past few hours! Thank you to Juntomatsu, Soucalibur13, Koaru-chan, Mealstorm, Gforce Member45, and TMW!

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* * *

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**No One Else But Me**

**Shadow**

Chapter 6: Of Sorrow and Malice

"BAA-CHAN!" Naruto screamed, "What the hell is going on?" The windows behind Tsunade's desk rattled with each of Naruto's bursts of rage.

This was irritating, she had explained it all to him already, and did not want to have to explain it again. She sat at her desk, stern-faced and unflinching at Naruto's screams. She didn't like it either, but the facts pointed to only one conclusion.

Tsunade could smell the pork ramen on Naruto's breath as he jumped up on the desk, leaned over her and grabbed her by the shirt. "This doesn't make any sense! Why would you lock her up and accuse her of murder if you knew that too!"

Tsunade grimaced, then grabbed Naruto by the throat, cutting off his air and the subsequent screams of protest. With minimal effort she threw him so he crashed hard into the far wall.

"Naruto, this is the last time I'm going to explain it to you. The morning we found Sakura dead, there was a bloody thumb print on the door leading into the house. The thumb print matches Hinata's thumb exac-"

"THAT'S NOT ENOUGH!" Naruto screamed at her, "YOU PLAN TO EXECUTE HER BECAUSE YOU HAVE A THUMB PRINT?"

"SHUT UP, NARUTO!" Tsunade Shouted back, "The thumb print was only the final nail in the casket that sealed Hinata's fate. There were others who said they saw her go into the house, or exit the house. Those who saw her exit all agreed that she was covered in blood when she left. We have six witnesses. Four who saw her go in Sakura's house, and two who saw her leave. The thumb print the witnesses say was left behind before she entered the house, when she cut her thumb with a kunai. That kunai we believe was then used to cut Sakura's throat as she slept. We found that bloody kunai in her weapons pouch when we arrested her."

Naruto quieted down, more out of reverence than submission, but at least he was quiet. The two stayed silent for several seconds, fighting each other in a staring match of death-gazes.

"…I want to go see her." Naruto insisted.

"You can't. She's scheduled to die in less than a week. She's in lockdown."

"I want to go see her." He insisted again, this time a little more sternly.

"I told you, you can't…"

"Take me to see her, now!"

"Naruto, I can't…"

"HORSE SIT! You're the Hokage, you can take me there yourself!"

"Are we going to argue over this too?" Tsunade asked.

"Until you relent," Naruto sneered.

Tsunade rolled her eyes, "Naruto I…" a solid fist landed on her jaw hard and quick. It hadn't hurt much, despite Naruto's strength, but what astonished her was how he had moved so fast that he was able to strike before she could react.

Blood trickled down her lip. Feeling the moisture, Tsunade wiped it away with her hand, pausing only for a moment to inspect it, before she rolled it between her fingers. 'He must have hit me harder than I thought.'

"Fine, Naruto, I'll take you to see her this afternoon, but know that you will be limited to five minutes, and that I will have to be right there watching everything you two do."

Naruto was displeased, but he knew it was the best he would do.

* * *

"This way," the guard led them down a dark and narrow corridor, past some of the most vicious criminals ever captured. Naruto recognized a few of them, and a few of them recognized him. A few snarled at him, but Naruto did his best to ignore them as he continued to walk straight ahead. Finally, they reached the end of the row. Above Hinata's cell was a small chalkboard, denoting the date that she was scheduled to die. It disgusted Naruto, the way that it was out in the open for all but the condemned to see, and that when the condemned had finally died; it could be simply wiped away with minimal effort, just like the victims life. Hinata sat on her bunk in the cell, head down, staring at the floor. A plate of food, now cold, sat on the ground. She looked thin and weak; the anxiety of death was taking an obvious toll.

"Hinata…" Naruto began. He glanced back at Tsunade standing behind him. She was aggravated to have to do this, but her eyes were softer. They told a different story, one of sorrow and regret. "Hinata, it can't be true, I won't accept it."

Hinata said nothing.

"They all say that you killed Sakura, they say that there were witnesses who saw you, but I refuse to accept it. Please, tell me you didn't do this."

Hinata still said nothing.

"Hinata…I know you didn't do this, but you can't prove yourself innocent if you sit there and stew in silence. You're strong, but you are acting weak! You're brave, but you are acting like a coward! You're innocent, but you're acting like a criminal!"

"Naruto!" Tsunade interjected, "That's enough!"

"Tell me Hinata, please…Tell me they're all lying. Tell me everyone is wrong!"

Silence from her cell.

"Time's up, Naruto. You have to leave now."

Naruto was about to protest, but he shut his mouth. He knew that he had already pushed it too far. He knew that there was a time and a place for battle, and this was neither the time nor the place to argue. He would have to find another way to save Hinata's life. Slowly, quietly, he turned around and started to walk back along the cold, dark hallway.

Hinata's quiet voice floated back to him, "I'm sorry, Naruto."

He paused. _'I'm sorry too…'_

* * *

Naruto Hadn't gone far after he left the prison. At the moment, what he really needed was to release some anger and frustration. After wandering aimlessly for several minuets, he found himself at the training field. Over in the distance he saw a log that had been worn away in the middle. It was obvious that that was the one that Lee usually beat himself up on.

He meandered over to it and slowly began to kick. He struck it with his right foot, then his left. Gradually, he began to pick up speed. Soon, his feet were hardly touching the ground. Left, right, right, right, left, left, right, left. His kicks fired over and over like machine gun fire, the sound reverberating through the surrounding trees. With one, final devastating blow, he delivered a side kick directly into the tree. A thundering boom sent the birds flying, as the log began to creak and groan. Naruto lowered his leg, and placed it down on the ground. As soon as he did so, the log splintered in the middle, and the top half fell to the ground.

He wasn't tired. He wasn't even sweating. He was just furious at the injustice he had witnessed.

"Naruto," a voice behind him spoke, "You have to come to the hospital quickly!"

Naruto turned his head slowly to peer over his shoulder at Tsunade. "And why should I do that?"

"Because Hinata tried to kill herself just after you left. She's teetering on the edge of life as we speak, she needs you there for support, if she's going to live."

Naruto chuckled at the irony of the situation. "Why are you trying to save her when you are also the one who condemned her to die?"

"Because I don't believe she did it either. The evidence says otherwise, but something just doesn't seem right. I need to give her all the time I can in case the truth can be revealed."

Naruto sneered, "Then halt the execution, why don't you?"

"I can only do that so long as she is medically unwell. If she is well enough by tomorrow at sundown, she will have to die regardless. Trust me, I don't want her to die any more than you do, but the elders don't seem to see things the same way I do."

"…Take me to her, if only for her sake."

* * *

A lot of good coming to the hospital had done. Hinata had been in surgery an hour or two. All he was allowed to do was sit outside the operating room and wait. He had felt better when he was at the training fields, destroying logs.

The door opened and Tsunade exited. She gave Naruto a grim look. "I'm sorry Naruto, she's going to be fine in no time. Normally this would be a good thing, but that means the execution tomorrow will go on as scheduled."

Naruto's fists clenched tightly, so tight, in fact that they turned red and blood began to trickle between his fingers from where his fingernails dug into his palms. "How long until she wakes up?" he sneered through gritted teeth.

"It will be a few hours, two or three at least."

"Then I'll return later!" he shouted as he turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" Tsunade asked.

Naruto paused, then glanced over his shoulder, "Somewhere I can be alone."

* * *

The memorial was always the quietest place to go. From time to time he would come here when he really needed to try and figure things out. Today was one of those rare days. Naruto sat, hunched over and somber, gazing into his reflection amongst the names etched into the stone. _'Why?'_ he asked himself, _'Why is all this happening?'_

Sakura's name had been added to the stone just after her funeral. Technically, since she didn't die on the battlefield, she wasn't supposed to be on here, but an exception was made for an exceptional shinobi.

A dark shadow grew behind him; its reflection was too blurred to see in the memorial.

"Who's there?" Naruto asked, irritated at having been disturbed.

"N-Naruto?" the voice was soft, compassionate, and shy.

'_It can't be…'_ he thought. He turned around as he stood up. Hinata stood before him. How she had escaped the hospital was beyond him, but at the moment, he didn't care. Quickly, he threw his arms around her, catching her off guard.

Hinata said nothing, only smiled and wept tears of joy. "Hinata…thank god," Naruto felt Hinata's arm move slightly and his eyes shot open. Quickly, he threw her to the ground and drew a kunai. "What are you doing here?"

Hinata began to chuckle, "You really haven't forgotten me, have you, Naruto?" There was a flash and a puff of smoke. Hinata was gone. The purple hair was now black and spiky, the tan coat and pants were replaced by black, and the soft, lavender eyes turned red. Slowly, he rose to his feet.

"Sasuke!"


	7. Time to Kill

Thanks to Kagome5177, Juntomatsu, Sick Of Your Games, Armor of Geddon, BakaMcGee, TMW, and Starfire0639 for your review since the last chapter!

Remember, if you like the story, please spread the word about it!

* * *

**No One Else But Me**

**Shadow**

Chapter 7: Time to Kill

It was almost impossible to believe, but yet, there he stood. Sasuke was finally back in Konoha, but Naruto doubted it was a reason to celebrate. He grimaced as he grit his teeth and drew a kunai. The blade shown briefly in the sunlight before clouds darkened the sky. The tip of the knife seemed to gleam ominously, as though it were pointing toward fate.

"Why are you here?" Naruto spat.

"Now, Naruto," Sasuke pulled his hands out of his pockets, and extended them to either side innocently, "is that any way to greet an old team mate?"

It was obvious that Kabuto had rubbed off on him. "Cut the crap, Sasuke. Why are you here?"

Sasuke chuckled a bit, "To kill my brother off course," He said it as though it were the obvious answer.

"Sorry," Naruto said, "Haven't seen him around."

"You're just as stupid as I remember you, Naruto. How is Sakura doing, by the way? Is she just as desperate as always?"

Naruto snorted in fury, "She's dead, asshole."

Sasuke palmed himself on the forehead, acting as though he had forgotten something, "Oh, how could I forget? The way she screamed was oh so satisfying…well," he grinned, "It wasn't really a scream. It was more like a gurgling as blood flooded her lungs. You should have seen the terror in her eyes as she…"

"SHUT UP!" Naruto demanded. He took a few deep breaths, preparing himself for a fight, "So it was you who killed Sakura…"

Sasuke mocked him a grin.

"What does this have to do with Itachi?" he growled.

Sasuke was irritated, he hated monologing, but Naruto was so dense it really left him without much choice. "I must kill my brother. To kill my brother, I must get stronger. To get stronger, I must detach myself from everything I ever held dear. Sakura is gone, next will be Kakashi, last will be you." he grinned, "Once you all are gone I can fully embrace Orochimaru's teachings, and become strong enough to kill my brother."

"What does Hinata have to do with this?"

"Heh," Sasuke sneered, "In order to kill you, I first have to kill that indominatable spirit of yours. If I kill your spirit, I can destroy you." Sasuke formed a hand seal and then transformed into Hinata again, "The easiest way to do that is to kill the two you love the most. When I heard you that night with Sakura, I decided that after she was gone, you would probably fall back to Hinata for support, and I would need to kill her too." Sasuke/Hinata took a kunai from his/her pouch, and gently slit his/her thumb, "The opportunity presented itself to kill two birds with one stone." Sasuke/Hinata released the transformation and returned to his true form, "It's only a matter of time. Soon, you'll be all alone again. Sakura is already dead, Hinata is next in line to be executed…You'll be alone again, like when you were just a little, lonely freak."

"There are others, Sasuke. Even if I'm too late to save Hinata, I will still have friends."

"Your friends will blame you. They will turn on you. After all, who wants to be friends with someone who murdered their sensei?"

"What?" He snarled,

"It's a shame Kakashi never paid attention to you. If he did, maybe the demon wouldn't have compelled you to kill him…"

"What are you saying? I haven't killed Kakashi…"

"Yet," He smiled, "I'll see to it that you do, just as Hinata murdered Sakura, you will have murdered Kakashi. Now I'm tired of explaining everything to you Naruto." Sasuke turned, preparing to leave, "Later, baka."

"I'LL KILL YOU!" Naruto shouted at Sasuke's retreating back. He threw himself into a mad dash and hurtled straight toward Sasuke. In a flash, Sasuke blocked the jab with a kunai.

Sasuke's face was completely devoid of emotion, "No, Naruto, I'm already dead."

Sasuke shoved Naruto back and knocked him to the ground, tossing the kunai at him with a gentle flick of the wrist. Naruto rolled left to dodge it and got to his feet ready to fight again.

"I will not let you leave here alive!" he shouted, pointing an accusatory finger at him.

"I'm already dead on the inside," he muttered, "This empty shell will have served its purpose once the sewer runs red with Itachi's blood." Sasuke planted his feet and took a ready stance, "But if you insist on making my life more difficult, then I shall kill you now." Black spirals began to whirl around Sasuke's red pupils.

Naruto grunted, forming a seal, "Kage-Bunshin No jutsu!" Close to a dozen Naruto's sprang forth from nothingness.

'_Same tactic as always.'_ Sasuke thought, _'this should be quick.'_

The clones rushed forward to attack, each approaching him from a different side. Sasuke simply swung his leg around in an arc and wiped out half of them. He jumped over the remaining six and threw a kunai at each from behind, before landing gracefully on one knee.

He subtly glanced to his right, there was the real Naruto, waiting in the treeline. Naruto dashed deeper into the trees, with Sasuke close on his heels. As he approached the treeline however, he felt a strong push as Naruto's foot planted squarely in his back, forcing him headfirst into a tree.

Sasuke straightened up and turned around to face the true Naruto behind him. He grinned wide in a malicious smile. It was a diversion, a trick. Naruto had set a basic trap, and Sasuke had fallen for it. _'Apparently Naruto has learned to rely on more than just brute force." _Sasuke tilted his head to the left and then the right, popping the joints in his neck. They made a sickeningly loud crack with each extra inch he tilted his head.

"No more games, Naruto."

Sasuke slipped his arms behind his back. He quickly revealed four smaller shuriken in his right hand, and threw them at an angle.

Naruto went purely on instinct and jumped to avoid them. _'Heh, he's not as strong as he used to be…'_ He retracted his statement, though, as a fuma-shuriken blew past him. The first missed, but a second one grazed past his leg, tearing a gash in his pants. Naruto recognized the attack from when they had fought Zabuza together all those years ago. Naruto used his peripheral vision to gauge about where the two fuma-shuriken would be returning. Before they could touch him, he twisted his body to the left.

Sasuke saw this and twitched his finger. The fuma-shuriken's flight path was altered with his gentle tug of the string. Unable to react fast enough, the first blade cut a deep gash in the back of Naruto's upper right arm, and the second one left an equally deep wound along his back. He barely had time to block the incoming fireball when he hit the ground.

Sasuke knew that it was far from enough to topple Naruto, but he took a moment to relish his victory. He chuckled softly under his breath; Naruto may have gotten first blood, but it could hardly have been called a hit. His strike had done far more.

Slowly, Naruto struggled to his feet, blood trickling down his arm and back. He gasped for breath as he tried to plan his next attack.

"Had enough Naruto?"

Naruto laughed, "Bring it on, Sasuke."

He did, launching himself forward, first kicking Naruto in the face, then spinning around and elbowing him in the gut. The flurry of rapid attacks was far too fast for Naruto to keep up. He could only block a few hits, and the few he was able to deliver were not as powerful as the earth shattering blows Sasuke was landing on him left and right. With one final bone shattering round house kick to the face, Naruto was launched into the air, a trickle of blood and spit streaming from his mouth as he flew, marking his path, before he finally crashed down to the hard earth.

Naruto lay there, unmoving. _'What happened?'_ he asked himself.

'_You were too slow,'_ a deep snarling voice responded to him. _'This is why humans are so pathetic, you could barely take a few hits before going down.'_

'_But he was so strong…'_

'_Pathetic,' _was the Kyubii's reply

Sasuke turned his head sharply to the right, as he heard voices approaching. "We'll finish this later." Silently, he transformed into Kakashi and disappeared into the woods.

The last thing Naruto saw before he blacked out was Tsunade leaning over him, trying to rouse him. Slowly, he slipped into darkness.


	8. Rush

Thanks to Tellemicus Sundance, Juntomatsu, TMW, Kagome5177, and Dexoys!

Remember, if you like the story, spread the word!

Note: For some reason, this chapter was not working, I have deleted it and re posted it, so I don't know if those of you with alerts will get two e-mails or one. There is only one new chapter today.

* * *

**No One Else But Me**

**Shadow**

Chapter 8: Rush

It was always difficult to describe this place. He could see it right in front of his eyes, but still, words escaped him. It was dark, yet welcoming. It was familiar, yet confusing. The maze of corridors could lead anyone astray in any of a thousand ways, but somehow, Naruto walked the pathway as though there were no other way he could go. He recognized the place, and it all seemed familiar to him, but he did not consciously know the way to go. It was as if there was a voice or a presence at the end of the maze, beckoning him, whispering in his ear to come closer.

And come closer he did. Naruto rounded the final corner and found himself in the large, empty chamber of the deepest region of his subconscious. The thick metal bars towered high above him. Behind the bars, only darkness emerged. The darkness was spilt by a large red devilish face floating in the air.

"What do you want this time?" Naruto commanded.

Kyuubi sneered and began to chuckle, "Direct to the point as always."

"Save it!" He snapped, "Why did you bring me down here?"

"I didn't bring you, human, you brought yourself."

"You didn't answer my question!"

The fox grinned, "Why should I answer it? What have you done for me? I've been trapped in this godforsaken body of yours for years. That's not much incentive for me to help."

Naruto was getting frustrated. He shouted "You know something, don't you? Tell me what it is!"

Kyuubi gave a mock sigh, "Always the impatient one, aren't you? Fine, I'll tell you on one condition."

"You're in no position to make deals, fox."

"Hinata's time is slowly drifting away, I don't think you are in any position to make demands either."

Naruto shut his mouth.

"I want to see what you see. I want to hear what you think. I want to know what you feel. In short, I want to become part of your subconscious."

Naruto was dumbfounded. "Why would you want that?"

"Because it grants me more freedom than this cell allows."

"What can you offer me in exchange? What good can you do for me?"

Kyuubi smiled, "First, remove the seal from the door."

Naruto turned, starting to walk away.

"If you leave now, you will never save the girl."

Naruto froze in his tracks. "I can save her without your help." He started to walk away again.

"Not if that other human still stands in your way."

Naruto stopped again, _'Sasuke…'_

"He's gotten too strong for you to beat without my help. Remove the seal from the gate that holds me back and I can help you beat him. If you can not do that, the girl will die, and so will you. If you die, I die with you, so it is in both of our interests for you to release the seal that holds me back."

Naruto turned, and in a flash, was at the gate and ripped off the seal that dangled from one of the bars. A brilliant white light spread from where he had removed the seal. In less than a second it had become blinding and everything was white. Naruto could hear the Kyuubi laughing.

* * *

Naruto's eyes shot open, staring at the halogen light on the ceiling above his bed. There was a burning sensation on his chest, and he sat up in a bolt, despite the protest of Tsunade, who had been sitting by his bedside.

Naruto ripped off his shirt just in time to see the rays of the sun shaped seal dissolve completely away. The pain began to subside. Now all that was left of his original seal was a small, hand size swirl pattern. He could hear the echoing of Kyuubi's laugh in the depths of his mind.

Naruto snapped back into the present. Quickly he took in his surroundings, trying to figure out where he was.

"What happened?" he asked.

"We found you unconscious in the training field. Why were you beating yourself up out there?"

Naruto paused, "What? I wasn't doing that to myself, I…" The memories came back in a rush. Suddenly he remembered what had happened. Hinata being arrested, visiting her in jail, coming to the hospital, and then that fight with Sasuke. Naruto snapped his head to the right, looking out the window at the sun, just beginning to fall beneath the horizon.

"Naruto?"

"How long have I been unconscious?"

"Almost thirty hours now."

"Hinata! Is she…"

Tsunade shook her head, "No, not yet, but…"

"You have to stop the execution!"

"Naruto, I'm not going to go through this again with you. There is evidence and multiple witnesses. As much as I hate to say it, Hinata did this. Her sentence must be…"

"IT WAS SASUKE! He set her up to get at me!" He shouted at her.

Tsunade froze. _'If Naruto's right, then that means Hinata didn't do it. Innocent blood will be spilled and it will be my fault!'_

Naruto squirmed in his hospital bed, "How long do we have? We need to save her!"

"She's on her way to be executed now, we only have a few minutes at best. She's on the outskirts of town, near the prison." Tsunade groaned.

Naruto hurriedly threw on his clothes. "Then lets go!" He crashed through the window, creating hand seals on his way to the ground.

Tsunade rushed over to the window just in time to see him bite his thumb and cast a summoning jutsu. A great cloud of smoke exploded beneath him. When the smoke cleared, Naruto sat atop Boss Gama-Bunta. "Hurry up!" He called up to her, flailing his arm as though it would add to his emphasis. Tsunade wasn't sure how he had summoned enough chakra to call the frog boss without tapping into the Kyuubi's power, but for the time being, that didn't matter. She nodded and launched herself out the window and on to the giant frog's back.

"Naruto! I was in the middle of something important! You better have a good excuse!"

"I have to get to the outskirts of town! Fast!"

"Why couldn't you just walk? Why do you need me?"

"Because you're faster, and if we don't get there quickly, Hinata will executed!"

Boss Gama could tell by the tone of Naruto's voice that he was serious. "Is this true Tsunade?"

Tsunade nodded, "New evidence has arisen to prove that she's innocent. She's scheduled to die before the sun sets."

"Then hold on tightly! I'll get you there as fast as I can!" With that, Boss Gama leaped into the air.

'_Please be in time!'_ Naruto thought.

'_You'll have to be faster than this…'_ Kyuubi replied

* * *

Well, just so you all know, I got a job. I have no idea how this will affect things as far as chapters, but hopefully not too much, if at all. Then again, jobs usually are the demise of a story... 


	9. Vanishing Light

Okay, so it's been a few days, but I think you will like this one a lot...

Thanks to Kagome5177, Itachi'smaniac, Kiari-chan, Linac428, and Mealstorm for the reviews.

As for the rest of you, PLEASE review, it's what gives me the encouragement to write the next chapter. At least one sentence, is all I ask. Also, the more reviews I get the quicker I seem to get up the chapter!

Thanks, and enjoy!

-Shadow

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**No One Else But Me**

**Shadow**

Chapter 9: Vanishing Light

Time was not on their side. Hinata was due to be executed at sundown, and already the sun had disappeared just below the tree line. At best, Naruto would arrive two or three minuets late.

But she was not dead yet. Somehow he could tell that she was still alive, he could sense it, almost as if he could taste her scent on the breeze blowing in his face. Boss Gama leaped as quickly as his tree trunk legs could carry him, resonating a thunderous boom each time he crashed back to earth. Silence permeated the air, carrying no words. Though nothing was said, neither Naruto nor Tsunade could block the fury of images that raced through their heads. Naruto imagined himself arriving just in time to save Hinata's life. Tsunade pictured them arriving too late, only to watch helplessly as innocent blood poisoned the ground.

"There!" Tsunade shouted, pointing to a small congregation of people. They formed a loose circle in the middle of a small clearing, with one person in the middle, dead center like a target on a bulls-eye.

With one final, powerful leap, the giant toad came to a halt just outside the group. Tsuande and Naruto scampered down, both screaming incoherently, trying to grab everyone's attention.

"Stop the execution!" Tsunade shouted. Finally reaching the edge of the circle, she pushed her way through to the middle, and then ran up to Hinata who lay doubled over, as if kneeling on the ground. Naruto was not far behind, shoving anyone to the side who stood in his way. What he saw stopped him cold.

Tsunade was kneeling next to Hinata. Hinata was not moving. There was a short, white handled sword jutting from Hinata's abdomen. They had not been in time to prevent it.

Tsunade carefully placed her hand on Hinata's stomach, just next to where the sword had pierced her. Her hand began to glow a pale blue, as she quickly started treating the wound. Her head snapped up and glared at the three shinobi clad in white who stood to the left of her.

"Don't just sit there!" She shouted at them, fire in her eyes, "Help me!"

Fearing for their own lives, they sprang immediately into action, each surrounding Hinata, trying to save her life.

Naruto stood frozen as the scene unfolded before his eyes. _'…How could this have happened? …How could we have been too late? The hero is always supposed to arrive just in time to save the girl…isn't he?'_ A solitary tear rolled down his face. He had lost Sakura, and now he had lost Hinata too. The gentle breeze kicked up for a moment, blowing a leaf past his feet. As the last of the sun's light disappeared from the sky, he closed his eyes.

"NARUTO!" He snapped his eyes open again, breaking from his trance.

"NARUTO!" Tsunade shouted at him again. Naruto shook his head slightly as his senses came back to him. He could see the panic and desperation in Tsunade's eyes. Surprisingly, they held no sadness, but instead were filled with urgency. This wasn't over yet.

"She's still clinging to life, there may be a chance she could survive," Tsunade said, "But we will have to get her to the hospital soon if she is to have a chance."

Naruto nodded, understanding. He scooped her up in his arms and started to run. Tsunade and the three other medical nin followed closely behind him. Though Boss Gama would have been faster, they needed to keep her as stable as possible to keep the internal damage to a minimum. The crimson blood was spreading quickly over her clothes, as the blood began to drip down his arms.

* * *

The waiting room was empty. At the moment, it seemed as if no other patient were in the hospital besides Hinata. Upon reaching the Hospital, she had been immediately placed into an emergency surgery, and Naruto had been thrown out of the room to sit by himself. 

There was no one else. Naruto was alone in the waiting room. Even the doctor who usually sat at the front desk was not there. Nothing moved and nothing creaked. The stillness was maddening and the silence was deafening.

Naruto's eyes slowly drifted to his arms, which were covered in Hinata's blood. He stared in fascination at it, as if it were his own blood, seeping from wounds that would never heal. He clenched his fists in frustration. He had failed her. She loved him, admired him, needed him, and he had let her down, and because of him, she was now an inch from death.

'_It's not your fault,'_ a voice told him, _'Sasuke did this, take out your aggression on him'_

"You're right," Naruto responded, "If she dies, it is Sasuke's fault."

'_Has he betrayed you?'_

Naruto paused, "…Yes"

'_Do you hate him?'_

"…Yes"

'_Do you want to kill him?'_

"…"

'_Do you, boy?'_

"…No. He doesn't deserve to die, not if I can save him."

'_What makes you think you can save him?'_

"Because he said it himself, I am one of the last things keeping him from plunging into total darkness"

'_Do you think you can save him?'_

"...Yes."

'_If you want to save him, you will need my help'_

Naruto raised his head to lock eyes with whomever he had been talking with, but he was alone, no one was there. The strange thing was, he had heard the voice as clear as day. He felt as if someone had been whispering in his ear.

'_I'm not out there, Naruto, I'm in you, in your head'_

Naruto's eyes widened in shock and fear, "…Kyuubi?"

The demon fox laughed. _'That's right, boy, I'm in your head. In a way, I have become one with you. We share everything now, thoughts, chakra, emotions…'_

Naruto paused a moment. By removing the seal, he had in a sense merged himself with the Kyuubi. "Can you…control my actions?"

'_No…not yet, anyway. In time I may find a way, but not yet.'_

"Can you help me save Sasuke?"

'_Yes'_ Kyuubi replied, _'but that depends on how you interpret the word "save". Quiet now, someone's coming. You can sense them, can't you?'_

Oddly, he could, it was as if he could smell the person coming, or even hear the woman's footsteps. Is it a woman? He sniffed the air again. Yes, it was a woman, and she smelled as though distressed.

The door opened to the waiting room and Tsunade stepped in. Her head was low, and her voice was soft. "Naruto, I'm sorry, I…" She said something else, but he wasn't listening. All he could focus on was his failure to protect her.

"…If you would like, you can pay your final respects,"

Naruto looked up, "What? Oh, yeah." The daze began to set in, just as it had shortly after Sakura had died.

Silently, Tsunade led him down the hallway to a still, pristine room. She closed the door behind him to give him some privacy. It was almost grotesque and obscene the way they had cleaned her up. It was as if they had tried to restore her aura of innocence and purity, but they couldn't do that. No one could. That had been robbed of her the day she had been sentenced to die a murderers death. Naruto thought it ironic, in a sense that she had been murdered by those who had falsely labeled her a murderer.

Naruto reached his hand down to caress her cheek, as he felt tears for his loss begin to well up. "I'm sorry," he sobbed, "I…I failed you." He found himself staring deep into Hinata's eyes. They were still open and filled with sorrow. Her mouth turned down in a grimace as if in her moment of death she had cried out not in pain, but in the agony of loss and abandonment. He reached his hand down to close her eyes, but once he laid his palm on her cold forehead, he found it all but impossible to move his hand any farther. Those eyes, they were so soft, gentle, and hypnotizing. He was transfixed in her lifeless gaze.

He felt paralyzed.

And he remained paralyzed, even as the kunai pierced his right side, sliding in between his two lower ribs. He felt the pain, but he could not scream. The lavender eyes began to darken to a red so deep they were as bloodstains. Slowly, the sharingan began to spin. Hinata's grimace turned upward into a grisly smile.


	10. Till Death Do Us Part

Okay, I'll be the first to admit that this chapter was a long time coming. I apologize for that. Turns out that the work curse is true, once an author gets a job, the writing grinds to a hault. and thus it has in my case. Either way, thanks for waiting for it! Also, Thanks to all of you who have left reviews! 

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**No One Else But Me**

**Shadow**

Chapter 10: 'Till Death Do Us Part

Those eyes, so deep and dark. He couldn't escape them. They drew him in and and locked him there. There was no escape. He could not blink, he could not move, he could not breathe. All Naruto could do was stare deep into Sasuke's eyes as his side slowly bled. He could feel Sasuke twisting the kunai inside of him, slicing up his organs and turning his insides into hamburger meat.

'_MOVE!'_ a voice shouted at him from deep inside.

He wanted to, he needed to, but he couldn't. The eyes paralyzed him.

'_MOVE!'_ the voice shouted at him again. All of a sudden, a jolt of energy fired down Naruto's spine, causing him to flinch and break eye contact. Quickly, he grabbed the kunai and extracted it from his side. Warm blood began to trickle faster from the wound as he cast the blade away. Suddenly realizing what had happened, he jumped back and took a defensive stance, averting his eyes just enough to protect himself from the sharingan's dangerous effects.

Slowly, yet deliberately, Sasuke sat up. His hands slid gently over the fresh sheets as he swung his legs over the side of the bed. His lips formed a rare grin filled with malice as his eyes curled up in a similar smile of anticipation. "I was hoping it wouldn't be that easy," he sneered.

"Sa…suke," Naruto muttered through gritted teeth, "If it's the last thing I do, I'll bring you back.

"Heh," he snorted, "if I wanted to come back, I would have done so myself."

Naruto took a slow step forward, "I'm going to save you Sasuke." He took another step, "Even if I have to die to do it."

"Shut up and fight me!" In the blink of an eye, Sasuke had hopped to his feet and closed the distance between them. He delivered a strong jab to Naruto's midsection, forcing him to double over and cough up a mouth full of blood.

'_You'll never save him if you fight that poorly'_ Kyuubi taunted him.

"Shut up and help me fox."

Sasuke cocked his head and tilted it slightly to the side. "And who may I ask are you talking to? Certainly it can't be the fabled Nine Tailed Fox?"

Naruto sneered at him,

"Only one way to tell…" Sasuke slammed the palm of his hand against Naruto's stomach and began to pump his chakra into him.

Naruto screamed in agonizing pain as the seal on his stomach began to burn like a white hot fire against his skin. He was used to taking pain, but this searing agony was beyond description.

"So," Sasuke sneered, "It is true." He snapped his hand back and smiled. Naruto held onto his stomach tightly, doubled over on his knees in pain, gasping for breath.

"Heh" he sneered, "I thought you were supposed to be a lot stronger since your little three year training binge. You haven't changed a bit." Sasuke delivered a swift kick to Naruto's jaw, snapping his head back and sending him flying bask several feet, crashing against the door.

He turned to face the window behind him. "If you really want to try and save me, then come fight me." He turned his attention back to the window and quickly slammed his fist through it, shattering it and sending tiny fragments flying, like diamonds dancing in the wind. Paying no heed to the cuts in his hand or the shards protruding from his knuckles, Sasuke stepped out of the window and disappeared from sight.

Naruto got up and rushed over to the window ledge. Peering down, he could see nothing but some of the larger glass fragments glistening back at him in the rapidly fading sunlight. Quickly he looked above him and saw Sasuke taking his time as he calmly walked up the wall toward the roof of the hospital. The gods had decided to throw a twist of irony at the two of them. Images of the past flooded Naruto's memory. It had been on this very rooftop that they had one of the fiercest fights of their rivalry. It was also here, at that point in time that Naruto pinpointed to himself as the time that he lost Sasuke completely to the darkness in his heart. That was the day he had lost Sasuke, but today he would reclaim him, one way or the other.

Slowly, he crawled out of the window, cautious not to injure himself further on the broken glass. Sasuke already had a leg up on him, and the last thing he needed was to give him even the slightest extra advantage.

Slowly, he began to crawl up the wall.

'_Do you seriously plan to fight him? Even in that condition?' _Kyuubi asked.

"I have no choice."

'_Just keep in mind that I'm in here too. If you die, I die.'_

Naruto placed his hand on the top ledge, "You remember it too," he said, as he pulled himself up and got to his feet, "'Cause I'm going to need all the help I can get to beat him."

* * *

Tsunade's head snapped up. "Did you hear that?"

The other doctor looked up from his glowing hands, "Hear what?" He asked.

"Shhh!" Besides the beeping of the machines, there was silence in the room.

The other doctor was about to ask her what she had heard when somewhere down the hall, they heard a window break in one of the rooms.

"Sh-t!" Tsunade cursed, "It's Sasuke, he's come after Naruto!" Quickly, she pulled her hands away from her patient and turned to run out the door.

"If you abort now, the girl will die for sure!" The other doctor shouted after her.

Tsunade stopped in her tracks. She clenched her fists in frustration. He was right, but if Naruto didn't get help soon, he may very well die too. Tsunade glanced over her shoulder at Hinata's motionless face. Quietly, she bit her lip as she closed her eyes. Naruto would have to hold his own against Sasuke at least a little bit longer.

Without another word, Tsunade walked back over to Hinata's side and rekindled her fight for her patient's life. She would have to act fast if Naruto was to have any chance of surviving the fight.

* * *

Naruto struggled to his feet. So far he hadn't been able to land a single blow on Sasuke. No matter how fast he moved, Sasuke was always faster, and there was no way he would stand a chance if things kept going the way they were. But despite the heavy beating he was taking, Naruto couldn't help but think that for some reason Sasuke was holding back. Gradually, he got to his feet and straightened himself up.

"Why haven't you tried to kill me yet?

Sasuke smirked at him, "You really don't get it do you?"

"You just can't bring yourself to do it, can you? I mean to much to you for you to kill me, don't I?"

Sasuke shook his head, "I haven't killed you yet because if I did, it would put an end to my fun! But if you wish…"

In a blur, Sasuke disappeared, and then reappeared in front of Naruto, grasping him by the throat and lifting him two feet off the ground.

Naruto gasped for air, but Sasuke's thumb pinched off his windpipe. He wrenched his fingers in between his throat and Sasuke's hand, but he couldn't peel himself free of Sasuke's iron grip. His legs began to flail as inky blackness seeped into the corners of his eyes and slowly began to cloud his vision. In an instant he felt a bolt of energy shoot down his spine, and immediately, as if out of reflex, his right leg kicked forward. It connected with Sasuke's left femur with a soft crack. The fracture in his leg distracted Sasuke just long enough so that Naruto could wrench himself free of his grip.

'It would seem I can control your reflexes,'

"Then," Naruto spat out between coughs, "maybe you," he coughed again, "can help me after all."

Sasuke only sneered at him, "Do you still think I won't kill you?"

Naruto wiped the blood specks from his mouth and prepared himself to fight again. If Kyuubi had caught his idea, then just maybe he would be able to turn the tide of the battle.

He lowered his hand to his side as a swirling blue vortex of chakra began to churn in his palm. "RASENGAN!" He shouted and began to charge.

Sasuke gave a soft smirk of confidence. He had tried this attack an few minuets before, there was no way he would be able to pull it off on his second attempt when his first try had ended so pitifully. Without a word, Sasuke grabbed his wrist and began to charge up a screaming ball of lightning in the palm of his hand.

"Chidori!"

Naruto rushed forward at the waiting Sasuke. Once he was in striking range, he reared his arm back and prepared to strike, as the distance between them quickly narrowed. Sasuke swung his chidori to block, but out of reflex, Naruto jumped and squirmed in mid air, twisting himself around and landing behind Sasuke.

"Hmph."

Before Sasuke could completely turn around to face him, Naruto slammed the rasengan into Sasuke's now exposed left side. Then energy swirled as it began to propel Sasuke away from him. But Sasuke did his best to hold his ground as the rasengan began to tear away at his clothing and then at his flesh. Sasuke knew that he had only one chance, and began to pivot on his left foot and swung the chidori at him. With his right foot lifted, his grip on the ground slipped and the force of the rasengan sent him hurtling into the fence, his chidori melting a hole in the chain link. Naruto was quick behind him, and started landing blow after blow on Sasuke as he remained pinned against the fence. Various punches and kicks flurried all over him, leaving Sasuke battered and bruised.

Slowly, Naruto's battery came to a halt, leaving a beaten, bloodied Sasuke to lean against the fence. All at once, Sasuke collapsed into a heap on the ground.

Naruto stooped to help him to his feet, but in so trying, found that Sasuke had become too weak to stand.

Silently, Sasuke beckoned Naruto to lean closer. As he did, Sasuke began to whispr to him, "N-Naruto, I've been such a baka," He began, "I hoped to kill my brother, but I can't even beat you."

"Sasuke, you…" Sasuke put up his hand to silence Naruto.

"Naruto, I should have just…urgh!" Sasuke's face strained before he started coughing up blood. Naruto panicked and tried to help him up to take him downstairs, but Sasuke resisted. "Naruto, do me one favor, I know I haven't earned it."

"Anything Sasuke," Naruto replied gazing deep into his eyes.

"If you can, kill Itachi and that snake bastard."

"Sasuke…I will, but I'll need you to help me."

Sasuke shook his head, "Baka…Can't do that. Now, don't resist this time."

"What?" Naruto asked, but he was already caught in the hypnosis of Sasuke's Sharingan. He felt Sasuke reach into his weapon pouch and draw out a kunai. Naruto couldn't move, nor could he avert his gaze as Sasuke plunged his kunai deep into his own heart. It wasn't until after Sasuke had breathed his last that Naruto was finally released from the Sharingan's paralyzing effects.

"NOOOOOO!" Naruto screamed, tears in his eyes, but there was no one left to hear him.

* * *

By the time Tsunade had finally stabilized Hinata and reached the roof, she was in time only to find Naruto crying over Sasuke's lifeless form in his arms.

* * *

Hopefully, I should have the next chapter out a little quicker next time, until then, have fun with the story. go back and look for all the symbolism you can! I know I chocked the story full of it. Also, there was one chapter in which I put a Simpon's refrence, which no one has seemed to have found yet. Also, I appologize for the poor quality of the fight scene. Usually I am better at them, but this time around, I just couldn't seem to get it just right. Aaaaaaaaaanyway, reviews are very much appreciated, as they have been all along! 

Thanks!

-Shadow


	11. Revelations

First off, I apologize for not updating in so long. Reading some of your comments, I realized that you all were right, and that this story had gotten VERY dark VERY quickly. This is not what I intended to do with it. Usually I tend to use those elements for suspense and drama, but I definitely took them a bit too far for my liking. Realizing this, I decided to take a step back and re-evaluate where I was going to go with this and how I intended to do it. Seeing no good options, I decided to put it on the back burner for a while. I'm back now, though, and I beg your forgiveness for walking away from this for so long. I know where I want to go with this now. Originally, the idea was to have Naruto go out on his own and track down Orochimaru, and kill him in a fit of rage. Frankly, I'm discarding that idea. In fact, this will be the final chapter, with a different ending. (The other ending would have only gone for about two more chapters anyway) After this, I have a new story idea in the works that I hope will be a whole lot lighter and more enjoyable. Until then, enjoy the final chapter of "No One Else but Me".

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Revelations

Shadow

It had been two days since Sasuke's death. It had been especially hard for Naruto. First he had lost Sakura, then he very nearly lost Hinata. Watching Sasuke die hadn't been easy on him either.

'At least Hinata is okay,' Tsunade thought as she looked down on Sasuke's corpse. It lay out flat on the cold metal slab. She had just begun to undress him and package up his possessions when she found an envelope tucked into his robe. It was addressed in to Naruto is Sasuke's unmistakable handwriting. Inside she could feel several sheets of paper; probably about two or three, she guessed. She could also feel a small hard object, but she couldn't make out what it was.

Looking down at Sasuke she pondered whether she should give Naruto the letter after she was done, or if she should finish the autopsy first.

"…The dead can wait."

* * *

Under normal circumstances, Tsunade would have sent an ANBU member in her stead, but she could tell that this was one she had to deliver personally. In a way, these were the last words of Sasuke to Naruto.

She raised her hand to knock, but before she could get the chance, the door opened to reveal Naruto. His eyes were puffy and red. He tried to hide it, but it was obvious that he had been crying a good deal.

'I don't blame him,' Tsunade thought. As she reached into her jacket and removed the envelope, she never broke eye contact with him.

Quickly and quietly he tore the envelope open. Tsuande shuffled her feet to leave, but Naruto made a face that pleaded with her to stay. Silently he read over the letter. Naruto's face showed no emotion as he read the note from Sasuke. It wasn't until he got to the end that his face changed. In fact, she had to look twice, but lo and behold Naruto was smiling! In fact, he was grinning wide!

Quickly, he turned the envelope upside down and they both watched as a small brass key fell out and clattered on the floor.

"What's this?" Tsunade asked, bending to pick up the key.

"No time for questions!" Naruto spat out as he swiped up the key and ran for the stairs.

"Well, where are we going!?" Tsunade shouted after him.

"To get Sakura back!"

* * *

She could see it looming up ahead, the Uchiha compound. As they approached the gate, Tsunade half expected Naruto to leap over without stopping. She wasn't disappointed, as Naruto took off and just barely cleared the fence. He didn't even seem to notice as his pants got caught on a spike atop the wrought iron fence, nor did he seem to care that Tsunade now had an answer to that age old question of "boxers or briefs".

She almost lost him as Naruto sped around corner after corner desperately searching for something. First left, then right, right, another left, another right. Going around the final corner she almost ran into Naruto. He had stopped in front of a single, isolated door, tucked away out of nowhere.

As he clumsily fumbled for the key Tsunade took a moment to try and figure out what was going on. What could Naruto have meant about getting Sakura back?

Soon enough she had her answer as the door in front of her swung open. On the ground lay Sakura, apparently under a strong gen-jutsu.

Tsunade's jaw hung agape before she composed herself and bolted forward to release the jutsu. She placed her two fingers against Sakura's forehead and whispered "Kai!"

As Sakura began to slowly sit up, Sasuke ducked back into the shadows, away from view. 'If I hadn't killed Orochimaru two weeks ago I'd have to thank him for teaching me that corpse manipulation jutsu.' He coolly smiled as he meandered away. He knew Naruto would never accept it or understand it, but this was something he just had to do. For now it was best if Naruto was allowed to believe that the body on the slab back at the Konoha hospital was really his.

He hated having to fake Sakura's death, and frame Hinata, but he knew it was the only way he could…persuade…Naruto to fight him. He knew that the only way Naruto would ever give up searching for him would be if he "saw" him die. Of course, when he used the Sharingan on Naruto just before he "died," he had switched himself out with another corpse he had manipulated to bear his likeness. It pained him to leave all this behind, but there had been so much evil in his life lately that Sasuke had nearly let himself fully succumb to it.

That's why he told himself he did all this, so he could know that no one would come after him once he entered into a hermit's life. Sasuke sighed. He wanted to say goodbye to Naruto before he left, but he knew that this was the only way. He had to isolate himself for a few years, just long enough to retrain his mind, and clear himself of this darkness that had infected his mind.

Maybe in a few years, he would return to Konoha, but for now he was off to locations unknown.

END

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Okay, that does it for this story. Since this sort of is the epilogue or whatever you want to call it, I'll use right hear to clear up anything that may be confusing. Due to all of the darkness that surrounded and engulfed his life, Sasuke almost gave in and became completely dark himself. Realizing the desperation of the situation, he killed Orochimaru and settled on the idea that the only way to purify his mind once again was to live alone as a hermit for at least a few years. He knew that naruto would try to come after him and find him. The only way of ensuring that Naruto would not come after him was to make it appear as if he died in front of Naruto in battle. The only way to get Naruto to fight him would be to provoke him by staging Sakura's death (and leaving a corpse manipulated to look like her, a jutsu taught him by Orochimaru) and by getting Hinata framed for the murder. During the final fight, he used his sharingan to buy him time as he replaced himself with another corpse, again modified with Orochimaru's jutsu to look like himself. Sasuke left a "goodbye" letter to Naruto inside the jacket of the body he left behind, along with a key to the room where he had hidden the real  
Sakura. He watched from a distance as Tsunade and Naruto recovered Sakura, and then left to go to his life of solitude. Perhaps one day, he might return...

Comments are greatly appreciated! Again, I appologize fo how long it took me to get this chapter out. I also apologize if this chapter sucked harder than the others. My heart just wasn't really in it because I knew the story had just gone so awry in the way I wated it to feel that I figured no matter what I did in the ending it wouldn't help it much. There is a very good posibility I will write a new story sometime soon, and I promise it will not get anywhere near as dark as this one did. Thank you all for the comments you have left me over the past chapters!

-Shadow


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